3^ This we may
conjecture
to have occurred about the beginning of the seventh century.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
9 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xx.
Januarii, Acta S. Fechini, pp. 130 to 144.
In both lives, however, the series of his acts
seems much confused.
'°
This was taken from the Book of the
See for the
Island of All
of Longford.
in
" Ordnance Townland Survey
"
'9 See " The Second Life of St. Fechin,"
chap i. , p. 133. In this district, the epis- copal see of Achonry was situated, n. 2, p. 140.
"° However, other accounts seem to as- sign his birth to Meath, and the "Meno-
thus — logic Genealogy," chap, iv. , incorrectly
and inadvertently weaves his pedigree
St Fechin, son of Coelchama, son to Gril-
son to— son of Aid Slaine. Yet lin, Coselius,
—was killed A. D. about the period assigned for Fechin's birth or youth. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals
of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 226, 227. But the same "Menologic Genealogy,''
chap. XV. , brings him, not from the race of Colman Crimthann, to which Aldus Slaine belonged, but from the line of Aidus Mac Saine, pertaining to the race of Eochad Finn.
"
wards from our saint
600,
Saints,
Lough Ree, county
Maps
" He was an erudite and a wise man. See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hiber- nise," lib. i. , cap. xi. , p. 75.
County of Sligo,
Sheet 26.
" For purposes of quotation, this may be designated the " Prima Vita S. Fechini," or "First Life of St. Fechin. "
'3 This was intended to elucidate what was found to be obscure in the Island of All Saints' life, and to include what was not there written.
'• For purposes of quotation, this may be called the "Secunda Vita S. Fechini," or
the latter four generations removed back-
SecondLifeofSt. Fechin. " Colgande-
signates it as the supplementum, or supple- ment to the first
'5 It is said, in the time of St Aidan, who
was a contemporary of St. Fechin, and over nine hundred years before Colgan wrote. This was a Codex of Immaigh, in Con- naught, where our saint lived. The second very old life wanted both the beginning and the end, although otherwise very trust- worthy. The third was very, old, likewise,
^'
Th—us is his paternal pedigree generally
St. sonof son
:
given Fechin, Coelchama,
358 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
the famous monarch, Conn of the Hundred Battles. =' His mother, Lassair,
orLassara,belongedtotheroyalbloodofMunster. ^s Thus,ineitherline,
must our saint be regarded as noble by descent,^4 and by paternal ancestry, he was alHed in blood with several of our most celebrated saints. ^5
The illustrious St. Columkille,^^ thirty years before its occvurence, an- nounced, in a spirit of prophecy, the time for his birth. 27 The village of Bile-Fobhair—where his parents dwelt, and when his nativity drew near— is said to have been all over illuminated^^ with a heavenly light. ^9 This was
a presage of Fechin's future sanctity. Scarcely can it be admitted, that one who died of a plague in 665 could have been born earlier than between 580 and 590. 3° Even it seems possible, his birth may be more nearly referable to the beginning of the seventh century.
The very infancy of St. Fechin was distinguished by the performance of miracles. 3^ He received an early literary culture from St. Nathi, who lived
atAchonry. 3^ Hewasindoctrinatedbythisholymanwithasoundandreli- gious education. 33 At this school, not far from his native place, he made
great progress in piety and inductive literature. According to one account,
while there, he caused water to flow from dry soil, and this was afterwards
called the " the well of St. Fechin. "34 He is said to have re- by people
mained with Nathy until after his ordination. 3s This Nathi is represented as
to Killin, son of Coel, son to Aid, son of Saine, son to Airtcorb, son of Carbre Niadh,
January, says Colgan—but correctly 28th of June—and Stellan, had prophetic admoni- tions regarding this event. See ibid. ^ cap. iii. , p. 130, and cap. iii. , p. 133. Colgan thinks, however, that for Cruemus may
son to Cormac, son of ^ngus Menn, son to
Eochadh Fionn Fuothairt. Thus agree the
Martyrology of Cashel at the 20th of Ja-
nuary, and the commentator on ^ngus, possibly be re—ad Crumtherus, i. e. , Nathius
at the same date, as likewise Selbach, chap,
xiv. , the Psalter of Cashel, and the **Ge-
nealogic Sanctilogy," num. xix.
""This monarch reigned from A. D, 123 to
A. D. 157, according to Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," voL i. , pp. 102 to 105.
"3 According to both published Acts of St. Fechin in Colgan. However, in the appen- dix, we are told that the tract on the "
or Nathineus t
—he name of St. Fechin's
future instructor. Ibid. , n. 5, p. 140. ''^See "The Second Life," chap, iv. , pp.
"
Mothers of the Irish Saints" calls her
vicious chief, the enemy of our saint's pa-
rents and of others, who, like Balaam, pro-
phesied that the child thus bom should ap- pear in aftertime by the splendour of his virtues, a wonder to coming time. See ibid. , cap. iv. , p. 130.
• 3° Sochla," num. 35. This latter word has
Yet Dr. Lanigan stretches the supposi-
the meaning of "generous" or "charitable," while "Lassair" means "aflame. " Hence Colgan thinks she might have received either name, nearly synonymous, because of the flame of charity with which she had been filled.
'^ According to the poem, beginning with " The Hagiology of the Saints of Inis- Fail," he belonged to the line of Eochaidh Finnfuathart, from which St. Brigid her-
self descended. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. iii. , p. 613.
tion to the extent of assigning his birth to
A. D. 575, provided Fechin could be thought to have attained 90 years at the time of his death. Still the learned Doctor says, it is very probable St. Fechin did not pass his eightieth year. An effort is here made to reconcile with probability the matter of his having studied under St. Nathi. See "Ec- clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , § iii. , n. 40, pp. 192, 193.
3' Yet these accounts are blended with
so many fables, we deem it only proper to omit several of them. See "The First Life,"
" Acta Sanctorum Hi- bemiae," xx. Januarii, Appendix ad Acta
"5 See
ix. ,pp. 130, 131.
Colgan's
S. Fechini, cap. i. , p. 143.
chap, vi. , vii. ,
"*
See his life, at the 9th of June. Also "
viii. ,
3* See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , §vi. , n. 65, p. 345.
Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xx. Januarii. Vita Prima S. Fechini, cap. i. , ii. , p. 130. Also Supplementum Vitse S. Fe- chini, cap. i. , ii. , p. 133.
33 See ibid. , vol. ii. , chap, xii. , § iii. , and n. 40, pp. 190 to 193.
"' Other saints, such as a Cmemus, or pos- sibly Cruminus, venerated at the 28th of
berniaj,"xx. Januarii. VitaSecunda S. Fe- chini, cap. viii. , p. 134.
_
133. 134-
^
.
This is said to have been seen by a
3* " The First Life," chap v. , p. 130.
35 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi-
January 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 359
living a considerable time, and until Fechin, already ordained priest, had founded some monasteries. But how long Fechin continued at Achonry does notseemtobeknown. s^ Nathiwasagrown-upmanbeforea. d. 552,when the death of Finnian took place at Clonard, Nor is it likely Fechin could havebeenapriestpriortobetweentheyears610and620. SupposingNathi had lived until the year 620, it must follow that when he died, this holy in- structor had attained an extreme old age. According to another account, which appears more consistent, Fechin left the school at Achonry several years before his ordination. He probably went to learn from some other pious master. While engaged at studies under Nathy, it had been remarked by one of his biographers, that he was a youth of good natural dispositions. 37 His going to another school. Dr. Lanigan suggests was very probably owing to Nathi's death.
3^ This we may conjecture to have occurred about the beginning of the seventh century. To what school our saint went, or who thatotherholymanwas,isnotfoundmentioned. ConcerningSt. Fechin having been a disciple under Kieran of Clonmacnoise,39 must be re- garded as a fabulous statement. 4° Thus a man, who lived until 665, could not have been a scholar under an abbot who died a. d. 549. "^^ Such a story, however, may have been founded on a truth misunderstood. Fechin, it is possible, studied at the great school of Clonmacnoise. '^^ This used to be
called Kieran's school or college. From its having been stated that Fechin studied there, it might have grown into a belief that St. Kieran was his master. Whether dates answered to the proper computation had not been sufficiently investigated. St. Fintan Moeldubh'»3 is stated by the CalendarofCasheltohavebeenoneofSt. Fechin'smasters. 44 Thishappened most probably after he left the school of St. Nathi. Under the latter he ap- pears merely to have learned as a boy. ^s And as St. Fintan Maeldubh presided over Clonenagh monastery^'^ from a. d. 603 to 626,47 this time may well accord with the probable studies of St. Fechin's early manhood.
When the holy young man had been advanced to the priesthood, he
desired earnestly to gain souls to Christ. For this purpose, he thought, it is
stated, of founding certain churches in the territory of Lugne. Although several of these are mentioned in his supplementary acts, it has been doubted-*^ if—with the exception of a limited number—all noticed had been
3® The parish of Achonry, the head of the diocese so called, is of very great extent. It is situated within the barony of Leyny, anditisdefinedonthe"Ordnance
25. 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 42, 43- On the §xi. ,n. 174, p. 231.
Survey
Maps for the County of Sligo. Sheets 24, History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. ,
townland of Achonry (Sheet 32) are marked
the sites of an abbey, an old church, and a
45 See ibid. , vol. iii. , § x. , n. 133, p. 46. Also "The First Life," chap, vi. , and
graveyard.
3^ See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. iii,, chap, xvii. , § x. , n. 133, p.
46.
35 See his life, at the 9th of September.
4° Yet Colgan would not venture to dis-
pute its accuracy.
4' Colgan thinks, that considering the long
term of life assigned to many of our Irish saints, this account may not be wholly in-
37 See
bemiae," xx, Januarii. chini, cap. vi. , p. 130.
Colgan's
. _
Clonagheen are situated in the baronies of
Cullenagh, Maryborough East and Mary- borough West. See *' Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps of the Queen's County. " Sheets 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24. The united parishes contain over 47, 189 acres. On Sheet 1 7 the antiquities at de- nenagh are marked.
47 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi-
cum," p. 592.
48 See Dr. Lanigan's remarks on this sub-
admissible. See n. at 8,
p. 140. ject.
" Ecclesiastical of
History Ireland,"
"
" Acta Sanctorum Hi- Vita Prima S. Fe-
4^ Such is Dr. Lanigan's solution of this difficulty.
vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , § x. , and n. 137, pp. 44 to 50.
43 This holjr man died A. D. 626. See Dr.
O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters,"
vol. i. , pp. 248, 249.
«'
Second Life," chap. vi.
46 The united of and parishes Clonenagh
44gee Dr. "Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
36o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
founded by him. Yet the First Life states, so soon as he was ordained priest, that he withdrew from his own country. Had he formed these
establishments, among his relatives, most likely they should have been mentioned. Certainly some reason ought to have been assigned for his leaving them, to found his chief establishment in a more distant part of the country.
It has been said,^? that prior to his visiting Fore, this saint had erected
anoblechurchataplacecalledEas-dare. s° Besidesthis,wearetold,the
chief of bestowed tracts of land for its maintenance, s' That he Lugne large
built a church at Eas-dare, can only be allowed. At the monastery of that place, he is said to have healed a person, whose face had been much de- formed. Afterwards the features of this individual became remarkable for comeliness and grace. s^ Eas-Dara possessed some land, which had been called Teaimann Fechin. This undoubtedly was ground dedicated to our saint. Yet it does not at all follow, that he founded a monastery there, or that he obtained certain grants, by which in course of time it had been enriched. 53 If Ballysadare monastery had been founded by Fechin, this would probably have been stated, when allusion had been made to the erection of the church, s^ To account for the name Tearmann Fechin, it would be sufficient that Ballysadare church,55 to which a monastery was afterwards annexed, had been denominated from its patron. Both the church and monastery—by whomsoever founded—seem to have been
dedicated to St. Fechin, from a very remote date.
At Bile,5^ where he was born, a church is stated to have been erected by
him. s7 But the monastery there seems to have been a later foundation. A
called — or "the cell of the
religious house, Kill-na-manach, monks,"58
one at Druimratha, one at Killgarvan,59 and the third at Edarguidhe, otherwise denominated Ecclas-roog,^ are all stated to
49 See "Vita Secunda S. Fechini," cap. on the mouth of the Ballysadare river, as it viii. , p. 134, and n. 3, pp. 140, I41, where enters the bay, likewise so denominated,
gether with three churches,
Colgan says in his time it was a monastery for Canons Regular of Achonry diocese. Even then it had a farm attached, known
may be seen.
so This was a parochial church, in the
diocese of Achonry, and territory of Lugne, as Tearmann Fechin, the refuge or in Colgan's time. Formerly it was known
"
limit of Fechin. " ^
as Bile Fechin.
57 According to the "Second Life,"
chap, viii. , p. 134.
58 This was within the territory of Lugne.
5° This place has been identified with Ballysadare, county of Sligo, by Dr. Lani- gan.
been attached ; and from the river flowing by it to the sea, a large tract was assigned in perpetuity.
5^ See "The Second Life," chap, xiii. , p. 134.
S3 After St. Fechin's time, the Augusti- nians erected a religious establishment there, the ruins of which remain. They are drawn
To^vnland Maps for the County of Sligo. Sheet 26.
"
''"
5' It would seem that a monastery had It is marked on the "Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of by T. Cocking, A. D. 1 79 1, and are engraved Mayo. " Sheets 31, 32, 40, 41. Killna-
''
in two separate views. See Grose's An-
tiquities of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 51, 52. s^To which attention has been called in
the " Second Life. "
ss The parish of Ballysadare, situated in the baronies of Leyny and Tirerrill, is de- fined on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Sligo. " Sheets 19, 20, 25, 26, 33. On Sheet 20, the town and site of the old church, within its graveyard,
garvan seems to indicate, however, that the founder of this church was not St. Fechin, butonewhowascalledGarvan. OnSheet 40 is to be seen the old graveyard and near it the well called Toberbreanal.
^Edarguidhe, or Kill-roe, was in the territory of Tyrawley and diocese of Killala. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xx. Januarii. Second Life, rm. 3, 4, pp.
140, 141, Edarguidhe is omitted from the
29 Also called Kill na Garbhan. It lay in the territory of Galenga, and it is pro- bably identical ^vith Kilgarvan, a parish in the barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo,
''
See its extent marked on the
^-q.
January 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 361
have owed their origin to him. ^^ Yet, not one of these foundations, however, although mentioned in the second, has been alluded to in the First Life of St. Fechin. Bile-Fechin seems to have been so called from the circumstance of the saint having been bom there. The church of Bile, and the monastery of Killnamanach were not founded by Fechin, in the opinion of Dr. Lanigan, and he thinks this seems almost certain. The monastery of Kilnamanach,^^ although in a distinct 'place, so far as can be understood, is represented as at Bile. ^3 Harris and Archdall have a monastery at Druimratha,^* although in the Second Life of St. Fechin, it is called a church. Nor does Colgan otherwise speak of it. It has been identified with Drumrath, in the barony
of Corran, and in the county of Sligo. ^s
In the Second Life of St. Fechin, he is mentioned as having been in his
monastery of Cong. ^^ He is said to have wrought a miracle, on behalf of an old man, who was a villager, and whose whole family with himself had been converted to the Christian faith. To Jhim was born a son, called Bectola, according to the suggestion of Fechin, and he was afterwards a child of great virtue. The convert devoted himself, his family, and his posterity to the service of our saint. Cong is situated within the barony of Kilmaine, and in the county of Mayo. ^7 In the First Life of St. Fechin, there is no noticeregardingthemonasteryatCong. ^^ Suchanomissionappearsvery, strange, if it had been founded by Fechin. ^9 Among the many abbots of
"
It seems to be established, that he founded a religious house in the Island
ofImmagh,7^orOmey. ? ^ InsteadofadistinguishedqjonasteryatImmagh, in Colgan's and the O'Clerys' time, only a parish church was there. 73 St. Fechin was its patron, and also of that island,74 which is placed in the
Cong, not one has been called his successor or
comorban. "7°
list of St. Fechin's churches, by Harris and
Archdall. Colgan says it was an oratory. Dr. Lanigan thinks it was placed somewhere in Lugne. It is a townland in the parish of Killala. See its position on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Mayo. " Sheet22.
in the barony of Kilmaine, as shovra on the
^Dr. Laniganhasasuspicionthat"suo *' "
In the "Second Life," chap, viii. , p. 134-
monasterio had been inserted in the Se- cond Life of St. Fechin, without any suffi- cient authority.
*9 Moloccus has been generally regarded as the first abbot of Cong, He was the saint whose name used to be joined to that
^^
Harris and Archdall had no right to
place a monastery at Bile, supposing Kill- namanagh to have been situated in some
other locality.
Januarii, Acta S. Fechini, pp. 130 to 144.
In both lives, however, the series of his acts
seems much confused.
'°
This was taken from the Book of the
See for the
Island of All
of Longford.
in
" Ordnance Townland Survey
"
'9 See " The Second Life of St. Fechin,"
chap i. , p. 133. In this district, the epis- copal see of Achonry was situated, n. 2, p. 140.
"° However, other accounts seem to as- sign his birth to Meath, and the "Meno-
thus — logic Genealogy," chap, iv. , incorrectly
and inadvertently weaves his pedigree
St Fechin, son of Coelchama, son to Gril-
son to— son of Aid Slaine. Yet lin, Coselius,
—was killed A. D. about the period assigned for Fechin's birth or youth. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals
of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 226, 227. But the same "Menologic Genealogy,''
chap. XV. , brings him, not from the race of Colman Crimthann, to which Aldus Slaine belonged, but from the line of Aidus Mac Saine, pertaining to the race of Eochad Finn.
"
wards from our saint
600,
Saints,
Lough Ree, county
Maps
" He was an erudite and a wise man. See Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hiber- nise," lib. i. , cap. xi. , p. 75.
County of Sligo,
Sheet 26.
" For purposes of quotation, this may be designated the " Prima Vita S. Fechini," or "First Life of St. Fechin. "
'3 This was intended to elucidate what was found to be obscure in the Island of All Saints' life, and to include what was not there written.
'• For purposes of quotation, this may be called the "Secunda Vita S. Fechini," or
the latter four generations removed back-
SecondLifeofSt. Fechin. " Colgande-
signates it as the supplementum, or supple- ment to the first
'5 It is said, in the time of St Aidan, who
was a contemporary of St. Fechin, and over nine hundred years before Colgan wrote. This was a Codex of Immaigh, in Con- naught, where our saint lived. The second very old life wanted both the beginning and the end, although otherwise very trust- worthy. The third was very, old, likewise,
^'
Th—us is his paternal pedigree generally
St. sonof son
:
given Fechin, Coelchama,
358 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
the famous monarch, Conn of the Hundred Battles. =' His mother, Lassair,
orLassara,belongedtotheroyalbloodofMunster. ^s Thus,ineitherline,
must our saint be regarded as noble by descent,^4 and by paternal ancestry, he was alHed in blood with several of our most celebrated saints. ^5
The illustrious St. Columkille,^^ thirty years before its occvurence, an- nounced, in a spirit of prophecy, the time for his birth. 27 The village of Bile-Fobhair—where his parents dwelt, and when his nativity drew near— is said to have been all over illuminated^^ with a heavenly light. ^9 This was
a presage of Fechin's future sanctity. Scarcely can it be admitted, that one who died of a plague in 665 could have been born earlier than between 580 and 590. 3° Even it seems possible, his birth may be more nearly referable to the beginning of the seventh century.
The very infancy of St. Fechin was distinguished by the performance of miracles. 3^ He received an early literary culture from St. Nathi, who lived
atAchonry. 3^ Hewasindoctrinatedbythisholymanwithasoundandreli- gious education. 33 At this school, not far from his native place, he made
great progress in piety and inductive literature. According to one account,
while there, he caused water to flow from dry soil, and this was afterwards
called the " the well of St. Fechin. "34 He is said to have re- by people
mained with Nathy until after his ordination. 3s This Nathi is represented as
to Killin, son of Coel, son to Aid, son of Saine, son to Airtcorb, son of Carbre Niadh,
January, says Colgan—but correctly 28th of June—and Stellan, had prophetic admoni- tions regarding this event. See ibid. ^ cap. iii. , p. 130, and cap. iii. , p. 133. Colgan thinks, however, that for Cruemus may
son to Cormac, son of ^ngus Menn, son to
Eochadh Fionn Fuothairt. Thus agree the
Martyrology of Cashel at the 20th of Ja-
nuary, and the commentator on ^ngus, possibly be re—ad Crumtherus, i. e. , Nathius
at the same date, as likewise Selbach, chap,
xiv. , the Psalter of Cashel, and the **Ge-
nealogic Sanctilogy," num. xix.
""This monarch reigned from A. D, 123 to
A. D. 157, according to Dr. O' Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," voL i. , pp. 102 to 105.
"3 According to both published Acts of St. Fechin in Colgan. However, in the appen- dix, we are told that the tract on the "
or Nathineus t
—he name of St. Fechin's
future instructor. Ibid. , n. 5, p. 140. ''^See "The Second Life," chap, iv. , pp.
"
Mothers of the Irish Saints" calls her
vicious chief, the enemy of our saint's pa-
rents and of others, who, like Balaam, pro-
phesied that the child thus bom should ap- pear in aftertime by the splendour of his virtues, a wonder to coming time. See ibid. , cap. iv. , p. 130.
• 3° Sochla," num. 35. This latter word has
Yet Dr. Lanigan stretches the supposi-
the meaning of "generous" or "charitable," while "Lassair" means "aflame. " Hence Colgan thinks she might have received either name, nearly synonymous, because of the flame of charity with which she had been filled.
'^ According to the poem, beginning with " The Hagiology of the Saints of Inis- Fail," he belonged to the line of Eochaidh Finnfuathart, from which St. Brigid her-
self descended. See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Appendix Quarta ad Acta S. Brigidae, cap. iii. , p. 613.
tion to the extent of assigning his birth to
A. D. 575, provided Fechin could be thought to have attained 90 years at the time of his death. Still the learned Doctor says, it is very probable St. Fechin did not pass his eightieth year. An effort is here made to reconcile with probability the matter of his having studied under St. Nathi. See "Ec- clesiastical History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. , § iii. , n. 40, pp. 192, 193.
3' Yet these accounts are blended with
so many fables, we deem it only proper to omit several of them. See "The First Life,"
" Acta Sanctorum Hi- bemiae," xx. Januarii, Appendix ad Acta
"5 See
ix. ,pp. 130, 131.
Colgan's
S. Fechini, cap. i. , p. 143.
chap, vi. , vii. ,
"*
See his life, at the 9th of June. Also "
viii. ,
3* See Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , §vi. , n. 65, p. 345.
Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xx. Januarii. Vita Prima S. Fechini, cap. i. , ii. , p. 130. Also Supplementum Vitse S. Fe- chini, cap. i. , ii. , p. 133.
33 See ibid. , vol. ii. , chap, xii. , § iii. , and n. 40, pp. 190 to 193.
"' Other saints, such as a Cmemus, or pos- sibly Cruminus, venerated at the 28th of
berniaj,"xx. Januarii. VitaSecunda S. Fe- chini, cap. viii. , p. 134.
_
133. 134-
^
.
This is said to have been seen by a
3* " The First Life," chap v. , p. 130.
35 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hi-
January 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 359
living a considerable time, and until Fechin, already ordained priest, had founded some monasteries. But how long Fechin continued at Achonry does notseemtobeknown. s^ Nathiwasagrown-upmanbeforea. d. 552,when the death of Finnian took place at Clonard, Nor is it likely Fechin could havebeenapriestpriortobetweentheyears610and620. SupposingNathi had lived until the year 620, it must follow that when he died, this holy in- structor had attained an extreme old age. According to another account, which appears more consistent, Fechin left the school at Achonry several years before his ordination. He probably went to learn from some other pious master. While engaged at studies under Nathy, it had been remarked by one of his biographers, that he was a youth of good natural dispositions. 37 His going to another school. Dr. Lanigan suggests was very probably owing to Nathi's death.
3^ This we may conjecture to have occurred about the beginning of the seventh century. To what school our saint went, or who thatotherholymanwas,isnotfoundmentioned. ConcerningSt. Fechin having been a disciple under Kieran of Clonmacnoise,39 must be re- garded as a fabulous statement. 4° Thus a man, who lived until 665, could not have been a scholar under an abbot who died a. d. 549. "^^ Such a story, however, may have been founded on a truth misunderstood. Fechin, it is possible, studied at the great school of Clonmacnoise. '^^ This used to be
called Kieran's school or college. From its having been stated that Fechin studied there, it might have grown into a belief that St. Kieran was his master. Whether dates answered to the proper computation had not been sufficiently investigated. St. Fintan Moeldubh'»3 is stated by the CalendarofCasheltohavebeenoneofSt. Fechin'smasters. 44 Thishappened most probably after he left the school of St. Nathi. Under the latter he ap- pears merely to have learned as a boy. ^s And as St. Fintan Maeldubh presided over Clonenagh monastery^'^ from a. d. 603 to 626,47 this time may well accord with the probable studies of St. Fechin's early manhood.
When the holy young man had been advanced to the priesthood, he
desired earnestly to gain souls to Christ. For this purpose, he thought, it is
stated, of founding certain churches in the territory of Lugne. Although several of these are mentioned in his supplementary acts, it has been doubted-*^ if—with the exception of a limited number—all noticed had been
3® The parish of Achonry, the head of the diocese so called, is of very great extent. It is situated within the barony of Leyny, anditisdefinedonthe"Ordnance
25. 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 42, 43- On the §xi. ,n. 174, p. 231.
Survey
Maps for the County of Sligo. Sheets 24, History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xii. ,
townland of Achonry (Sheet 32) are marked
the sites of an abbey, an old church, and a
45 See ibid. , vol. iii. , § x. , n. 133, p. 46. Also "The First Life," chap, vi. , and
graveyard.
3^ See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire- land," vol. iii,, chap, xvii. , § x. , n. 133, p.
46.
35 See his life, at the 9th of September.
4° Yet Colgan would not venture to dis-
pute its accuracy.
4' Colgan thinks, that considering the long
term of life assigned to many of our Irish saints, this account may not be wholly in-
37 See
bemiae," xx, Januarii. chini, cap. vi. , p. 130.
Colgan's
. _
Clonagheen are situated in the baronies of
Cullenagh, Maryborough East and Mary- borough West. See *' Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps of the Queen's County. " Sheets 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24. The united parishes contain over 47, 189 acres. On Sheet 1 7 the antiquities at de- nenagh are marked.
47 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibemi-
cum," p. 592.
48 See Dr. Lanigan's remarks on this sub-
admissible. See n. at 8,
p. 140. ject.
" Ecclesiastical of
History Ireland,"
"
" Acta Sanctorum Hi- Vita Prima S. Fe-
4^ Such is Dr. Lanigan's solution of this difficulty.
vol. iii. , chap, xvii. , § x. , and n. 137, pp. 44 to 50.
43 This holjr man died A. D. 626. See Dr.
O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters,"
vol. i. , pp. 248, 249.
«'
Second Life," chap. vi.
46 The united of and parishes Clonenagh
44gee Dr. "Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
36o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 20.
founded by him. Yet the First Life states, so soon as he was ordained priest, that he withdrew from his own country. Had he formed these
establishments, among his relatives, most likely they should have been mentioned. Certainly some reason ought to have been assigned for his leaving them, to found his chief establishment in a more distant part of the country.
It has been said,^? that prior to his visiting Fore, this saint had erected
anoblechurchataplacecalledEas-dare. s° Besidesthis,wearetold,the
chief of bestowed tracts of land for its maintenance, s' That he Lugne large
built a church at Eas-dare, can only be allowed. At the monastery of that place, he is said to have healed a person, whose face had been much de- formed. Afterwards the features of this individual became remarkable for comeliness and grace. s^ Eas-Dara possessed some land, which had been called Teaimann Fechin. This undoubtedly was ground dedicated to our saint. Yet it does not at all follow, that he founded a monastery there, or that he obtained certain grants, by which in course of time it had been enriched. 53 If Ballysadare monastery had been founded by Fechin, this would probably have been stated, when allusion had been made to the erection of the church, s^ To account for the name Tearmann Fechin, it would be sufficient that Ballysadare church,55 to which a monastery was afterwards annexed, had been denominated from its patron. Both the church and monastery—by whomsoever founded—seem to have been
dedicated to St. Fechin, from a very remote date.
At Bile,5^ where he was born, a church is stated to have been erected by
him. s7 But the monastery there seems to have been a later foundation. A
called — or "the cell of the
religious house, Kill-na-manach, monks,"58
one at Druimratha, one at Killgarvan,59 and the third at Edarguidhe, otherwise denominated Ecclas-roog,^ are all stated to
49 See "Vita Secunda S. Fechini," cap. on the mouth of the Ballysadare river, as it viii. , p. 134, and n. 3, pp. 140, I41, where enters the bay, likewise so denominated,
gether with three churches,
Colgan says in his time it was a monastery for Canons Regular of Achonry diocese. Even then it had a farm attached, known
may be seen.
so This was a parochial church, in the
diocese of Achonry, and territory of Lugne, as Tearmann Fechin, the refuge or in Colgan's time. Formerly it was known
"
limit of Fechin. " ^
as Bile Fechin.
57 According to the "Second Life,"
chap, viii. , p. 134.
58 This was within the territory of Lugne.
5° This place has been identified with Ballysadare, county of Sligo, by Dr. Lani- gan.
been attached ; and from the river flowing by it to the sea, a large tract was assigned in perpetuity.
5^ See "The Second Life," chap, xiii. , p. 134.
S3 After St. Fechin's time, the Augusti- nians erected a religious establishment there, the ruins of which remain. They are drawn
To^vnland Maps for the County of Sligo. Sheet 26.
"
''"
5' It would seem that a monastery had It is marked on the "Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of by T. Cocking, A. D. 1 79 1, and are engraved Mayo. " Sheets 31, 32, 40, 41. Killna-
''
in two separate views. See Grose's An-
tiquities of Ireland," vol. i. , pp. 51, 52. s^To which attention has been called in
the " Second Life. "
ss The parish of Ballysadare, situated in the baronies of Leyny and Tirerrill, is de- fined on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Sligo. " Sheets 19, 20, 25, 26, 33. On Sheet 20, the town and site of the old church, within its graveyard,
garvan seems to indicate, however, that the founder of this church was not St. Fechin, butonewhowascalledGarvan. OnSheet 40 is to be seen the old graveyard and near it the well called Toberbreanal.
^Edarguidhe, or Kill-roe, was in the territory of Tyrawley and diocese of Killala. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," xx. Januarii. Second Life, rm. 3, 4, pp.
140, 141, Edarguidhe is omitted from the
29 Also called Kill na Garbhan. It lay in the territory of Galenga, and it is pro- bably identical ^vith Kilgarvan, a parish in the barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo,
''
See its extent marked on the
^-q.
January 20. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 361
have owed their origin to him. ^^ Yet, not one of these foundations, however, although mentioned in the second, has been alluded to in the First Life of St. Fechin. Bile-Fechin seems to have been so called from the circumstance of the saint having been bom there. The church of Bile, and the monastery of Killnamanach were not founded by Fechin, in the opinion of Dr. Lanigan, and he thinks this seems almost certain. The monastery of Kilnamanach,^^ although in a distinct 'place, so far as can be understood, is represented as at Bile. ^3 Harris and Archdall have a monastery at Druimratha,^* although in the Second Life of St. Fechin, it is called a church. Nor does Colgan otherwise speak of it. It has been identified with Drumrath, in the barony
of Corran, and in the county of Sligo. ^s
In the Second Life of St. Fechin, he is mentioned as having been in his
monastery of Cong. ^^ He is said to have wrought a miracle, on behalf of an old man, who was a villager, and whose whole family with himself had been converted to the Christian faith. To Jhim was born a son, called Bectola, according to the suggestion of Fechin, and he was afterwards a child of great virtue. The convert devoted himself, his family, and his posterity to the service of our saint. Cong is situated within the barony of Kilmaine, and in the county of Mayo. ^7 In the First Life of St. Fechin, there is no noticeregardingthemonasteryatCong. ^^ Suchanomissionappearsvery, strange, if it had been founded by Fechin. ^9 Among the many abbots of
"
It seems to be established, that he founded a religious house in the Island
ofImmagh,7^orOmey. ? ^ InsteadofadistinguishedqjonasteryatImmagh, in Colgan's and the O'Clerys' time, only a parish church was there. 73 St. Fechin was its patron, and also of that island,74 which is placed in the
Cong, not one has been called his successor or
comorban. "7°
list of St. Fechin's churches, by Harris and
Archdall. Colgan says it was an oratory. Dr. Lanigan thinks it was placed somewhere in Lugne. It is a townland in the parish of Killala. See its position on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Mayo. " Sheet22.
in the barony of Kilmaine, as shovra on the
^Dr. Laniganhasasuspicionthat"suo *' "
In the "Second Life," chap, viii. , p. 134-
monasterio had been inserted in the Se- cond Life of St. Fechin, without any suffi- cient authority.
*9 Moloccus has been generally regarded as the first abbot of Cong, He was the saint whose name used to be joined to that
^^
Harris and Archdall had no right to
place a monastery at Bile, supposing Kill- namanagh to have been situated in some
other locality.
